Plastic Container

ABSTRACT

A plastic container having a bowl or dish shape, in particular a flower pot, with an upper terminating area in the form of a circumferential channel profile that is open on the underside, adjoining an upper area of the container wall, which is guided outwardly and further downwardly towards a circumferential edge, wherein the channel profile is provided with cross sectional reinforcing connecting pieces, is embodied in a manner such that the connecting pieces are aligned diagonally at least in sections towards the channel profile so that cross sectional deformations and lateral stress can be absorbed elastically and resiliently without breakage.

The invention relates to a plastic container in accordance with the pre-characterizing clause of claim 1. Plastic containers of this type are widely used in particular as plant pots in commercial gardening and as flower pots in household use. The edge has special significance for stability in terms of the height of such a plastic container for instance when unstacking, separating, filling or relocating manually or by machine or and when setting up because the plastic container is handled predominantly in this area. As a result, handling machines in commercial gardening grip under plant pots preferably at opposing areas of the edge, and, when they are being grasped by hand, they are also handled on the edge. Hanging flower pots encounter particular stress on the edge when they are connected for example to a hanging harness that grips under the edge at three points on the circumference.

Despite this requirement and despite the stress that occurs here, the general development of plastic containers is moving towards thinner wall thicknesses and higher material strengths, however, in connection with shaping that does justice to stress. This has produced a situation where the upper terminating area of the plastic container is frequently embodied in the form of a circumferential channel profile that is open on the underside, adjoining an upper area of the container wall, and the channel profile is provided with cross sectional reinforcing connecting pieces. The spatial structure that is produced in the process provides good strength properties. However, this strength goes hand in hand with only a low level of structural elastically. When these types of plastic containers are subjected to substantial deformations individually or in a stack, for example, from lateral compression during transport, from transverse deformations during mechanically handling or from pressure or impact from the side on a hanging flower pot, the structurally induced resilience does not suffice to elastically absorb these deformations. Breakage then occurs easily.

Accordingly, the objective of this invention is further developing a plastic container while continuing the high development state with respect to the upper terminating area with a circumferential channel profile and cross sectional reinforcing connecting pieces so that greater transverse deformations and lateral stress can be absorbed elastically and resiliently without breakage occurring.

This objective is attained in accordance with the invention by a plastic container according to the pre-characterizing clause of claim 1 starting with the characterizing features of claim 1. Additional embodiments of the invention are disclosed in the subordinate claims.

It has been shown that the channel structure of the upper terminating area offered purely under rigidity aspects and having reinforcing connecting pieces running flat and precisely transverse to the channel profile produces shape-induced rigidness. Progressions of the connecting pieces that deviate from this, which are also aligned only in sections diagonally to the channel profile (and to the transverse direction), already enable considerable flexibility to be added to the design. The result of this is that the edge shape and thus the cross section of the pot as well are able to deform considerably under lateral stress without breaking.

The connecting pieces can sit in the channel profile as even connecting pieces approximately under a slight diagonal angle as a whole. In the case of transverse deformation of the upper terminating area, certain lateral deflections then occur on the circumferential edge of the channel profile in the course of the overall deformation.

If the connecting pieces as a whole are set diagonally, approximately in an even form, however with an alternating diagonal direction, then the local wall deformations increase on the transitions to the circumferential edge and/or to the container wall, when the connecting pieces are pressed flatter due to stress. Nonetheless, the risk of breakage is reduced substantially as compared with conventional connecting pieces that are positioned transversely.

The connecting pieces can also be embodied in a bent or curved manner. Even multiple bends or curvatures such as an S-shape are conceivable. In such cases, the connecting pieces within the channel profile can be attached at areas that are diametrically opposed to one another. In the case of transverse deformation, the connecting pieces and the associated areas of the channel profile assume a deflection, in which the connecting pieces themselves become deformed without exerting tangential forces on the channel profile.

Two exemplary embodiments of the invention are depicted in the drawing and described in greater detail in the following.

The drawings show:

FIG. 1 A vertical longitudinal section through a plant pot

FIG. 2 A partial lower view of the upper terminating area of the plant pot according to FIG. 1

FIG. 3 Lower view according to FIG. 2 with compressive stress on the terminating area

FIG. 4 Lower view according to FIGS. 2 and 3 with tensile load on the terminating area

FIG. 5 Diagonal view from below of hanging flower pot

FIG. 6 Lower view of the flower pot according to FIG. 5 with a lateral transverse deformation

FIG. 7 Enlarged view of Detail VII from FIG. 6

A flower pot 1 according to the sectional representation in FIG. 1 constitutes a plastic container for commercial gardening having a generally conventional design with a base 2, a container wall 3 and an upper terminating area 4, in this case in the form of a circumferential channel profile 5 that is open on the underside, with which the plant pot 1 in this case rests for example on two jaws 6, 7 of a tong-like or fork-like handling tool.

In the case of this type of support for a plant pot, its load rendered by a vertical center axis 9 in the direction of an arrow 8 is absorbed and borne by the upper terminating area and/or the channel area 4 and/or the channel profile 5, wherein even if the support on the jaws 6, 7 is only in sections and is not uniform over the circumference, generally a non-critical load is produced when the plant pot 1 is properly designed. The upper terminating area 4 is embodied extremely solidly and also rigidly for regularly planned loads; connecting pieces 10 on the inner side of the channel profile 5 contribute to this and said connecting pieces are customarily arranged transverse to the channel profile i.e., each in a radial-axial plane with respect to the center axis 9 and reinforcing the channel profile.

However, precisely this high-grade reinforcement turns out to be a considerable disadvantage in terms of certain deformations of the pot that are generally not provided for during handling, but nonetheless inevitably occur and have led very easily to breaking loads till now. If, for instance, the jaws 6, 7 are too narrowly set during mechanical handling or are grasped from the side too far to the inside, or if, for instance, stored or stacked goods are deformed when being pushed together laterally or if plant pots or hanging flower pots are predominantly laterally compressed or deformed during use, the conventional structure of the upper terminating area is too rigid to elastically absorb these types of deformations.

In a view from below towards the channel profile 5, FIG. 2 shows the connecting pieces 10, which though they connect and thereby reinforce the area between the container wall 3 on the inner side and a circumferential edge 11 in a conventional manner within the channel profile, they do not run evenly in a radial-axial alignment with respect to the center axis 9. The connecting pieces 10 are in fact embodied in a buckled shape, whereby a vertical angle apex 12 runs approximately in the center between two obtuse-angled adjoining connecting piece surfaces 13, 14. The connecting piece surfaces 13, 14 for their part adjoin in an obtuse-angled manner along flow lines 15, 16 on the outer edge 11 or on the container wall 3, whereby the flow lines (15, 16) by all means lie in a common radial-axial plane with respect to the center axis 9. The buckled shape of the connecting pieces 10 makes it possible for them to yield in the case of compressive stress without these breaking in the process.

FIG. 3 illustrates a deformation of the channel profile imposed externally in the direction of arrow 17, which produces a narrowing of said channel profile, whereby the connecting pieces 10 are deformed more greatly in the direction of the bend. This produces significant deformability of the pot in the cross sectional area of the upper terminating area.

FIG. 4, on the other hand, depicts the situation in the case of tensile strain directed to the outside in accordance with arrow 18 with an expansion of the channel profile 15 [sic] up to an elongation of the surfaces 13, 14 of the connecting pieces in a common plane. In this respect, a deformation can likewise be absorbed without the risk of material rupture.

The surfaces 13, 14 of the connecting pieces meet each other at the angle apex 12 with a wall weakening, which predetermines a corresponding deformation line. Completely corresponding weakened areas in the wall can also be predetermined on the flow lines 15, 16 in order to approximate the effect of a foil hinge and keep deformations of the channel profile 5 itself low.

FIG. 5 depicts a hanging flower pot 21 along with an associated hanger assembly 22, which engages on the upper terminating areas of the flow pot 21 with three hanger supporting lines 23, 24, 25, whereby hook-like claws 26, 27 grip under a circumferential edge 28 on a downwardly open channel profile 29 between connecting pieces 30.

Hanging flower pots, which are often embodied to be relatively large in terms of container volume and therefore can also achieve a substantial dead weight in a planted and watered state, are subject to a complex load from the hanger assembly. Lateral deformation of the hanging flower pot that is unplanned for the most part customarily leads easily to breakage.

FIG. 6 shows a view of the flower pot 21 from below in an ovally deformed state where the cross sectional deformation affects the entire upper terminating area and cross sectional changes in the channel profile 29 are produced not only in the area of the flatly deformed (compression) areas, but above all also in the end areas that are more greatly curved.

FIG. 7 depicts such an area in an enlarged manner in order to illustrate that, similar to the connecting pieces 10 according to the embodiment in FIGS. 1 through 4, buckle-shaped connecting pieces 30 permit the required adaptation of the cross sectional shape of the channel profile 29 without breakage occurring in the process.

It is understood in the case of the foregoing that the buckled profile according to the representation and the preceding description is only one possibility of permitting deformability in the cross section of the channel profile, which supplies greater elasticity and a greater ruggedness. Simply buckled or multiply buckled or bent (e.g., in an S-shaped manner) connecting pieces are possible in this case in the same way. Also of interest are even connecting pieces without a bent or curved surface shape that are only positioned more or less diagonally. With lateral deformation, diagonal positioning in the same direction in a predetermined circumferential direction in the channel profile produces yielding movements of the outer edge 28 in the circumferential direction. On the other hand, in the case of alternating diagonal positioning, the deformation is limited to the circumferential areas lying in between. 

1. Plastic container (1, 21) having a bowl or dish shape comprising an upper terminating area (4) in the form of a circumferential channel profile (5) that is open on the underside, adjoining an upper area of a container wall (3), which is guided outwardly and further downwardly towards a circumferential edge (11), wherein the channel profile is provided with cross sectional reinforcing connecting pieces (10), and wherein the connecting pieces (10) are aligned diagonally at least in sections towards the channel profile (5).
 2. Plastic Container according to claim 1, wherein as a whole the connecting pieces are aligned diagonally to the channel profile and are attached with an obtuse angle on the circumferential edge and on the container wall.
 3. Plastic Container according to claim 2, wherein the connecting pieces each lie in a flat plane.
 4. Plastic Container according to claim 1, wherein the connecting pieces 910) have a bent progression between the circumferential edge (11) and the container wall (3).
 5. Plastic Container according to claim 4, wherein the bent connecting pieces (10) have an apex (12) lying approximately in the center between the circumferential edge (11) and the container wall (3)
 6. Plastic Container according to claim 4, wherein the bent connecting pieces (10) join diametrically opposed flow lines (15, 16) in an obtuse-angled manner on the circumferential edge (11) and the container wall (3) along one another with respect to the channel profile.
 7. Plastic Container according to claim 4, wherein the connecting pieces (10) have diagonally adjoining surface parts (13, 14) with edge-side weakened areas in the wall.
 8. Plastic Container according to claim 4, wherein the connecting pieces are bent several times between the circumferential edge and the container wall.
 9. Plastic Container according to claim 1, wherein the connecting pieces have a curved shape.
 10. Plastic Container according to claim 1, wherein the terminating area is embodied as a supporting edge for a hanging pot (21) to be held in a hanging manner at several distributed points on the circumference.
 11. Plastic Container according to claim 5, wherein the bent connecting pieces (10) join diametrically opposed flow lines (15, 16) in an obtuse-angled manner on the circumferential edge (11) and the container wall (3) along one another with respect to the channel profile.
 12. Plastic Container according to claim 5, wherein the connecting pieces (10) have diagonally adjoining surface parts (13, 14) with edge-side weakened areas in the wall.
 13. Plastic Container according to claim 6, wherein the connecting pieces (10) have diagonally adjoining surface parts (13, 14) with edge-side weakened areas in the wall.
 14. Plastic Container according to claim 5, wherein the connecting pieces are bent several times between the circumferential edge and the container wall.
 15. Plastic Container according to claim 6, wherein the connecting pieces are bent several times between the circumferential edge and the container wall.
 16. Plastic Container according to claim 7, wherein the connecting pieces are bent several times between the circumferential edge and the container wall. 